5 Blue Jays players who belong on the trade block right now

For the current offseason, the Toronto Blue Jays have been active in making moves to help retool their roster for the 2024 season. They have done most of their work in the free agent market by picking up key players in Justin Turner, Yariel Rodríguez and Isiah Kiner-Falefa, in addition to re-signing fan favourite Kevin Kiermaier to be their outfield general once again.

In doing so, specific roles and positions on the ballclub are becoming more or less defined for the upcoming year, leaving less opportunities for some returnees and hopefuls to secure a starting spot on the 26-man roster. As a result, it may make more sense for the Blue Jays to consider putting some of these players on the trade block to maximize the value they could bring back to help the ballclub.

Here, we take a look at five Blue Jays players that could be considered as trade bait going forward.

Santiago Espinal

It may sound unfair to put the once-infielder in this category. After all, he was an All-Star just two years ago when he batted .267 with 51 runs scored, 25 doubles, 7 home runs and 51 RBI in 135 games. However, he followed it up with a less-than-stellar season in 2023 when he was forced to split duties with Cavan Biggio and Whit Merrfield throughout the year. In the end, Espinal compiled a .248 batting average, .644 OPS, 30 runs scored, 14 doubles, a pair of home runs and 25 RBI in 93 games played, along with displaying a less steady hand in the field compared to his usual form. Perhaps not being able to play everyday had somewhat of an impact on his overall performance. Nevertheless, the Jays expected more out of him whenever he was given the opportunity to contribute.

Merrifield may have departed for free agency this offseason, but the Jays have quickly replaced him with another utilityman in Kiner-Falefa. Not only can IKF play multiple positions in both the infield and outfield, he has also captured a Gold Glove back in 2020 as a third baseman with the Texas Rangers. His addition to the ballclub presents a huge problem for Espinal. With Espinal’s strength being his defensive abilities, IKF can now provide the same thing at a more elite level. On top of that, when it comes to offense, which the Jays desperately need, Espinal’s production lags behind that of Biggio and even Davis Schneider.

As a result, similar to last season’s crowded picture, IKF, Biggio and Schneider could end up seeing most of the playing time by playing to their strengths as Espinal could once again see limited action. If that becomes the case, rather than to squander his talent by making him constantly ride the bench, now may be the right time to give Espinal a new home. That way, he can get the starting time he truly deserves, while at the same time, the Jays can recoup a valuable asset in return for a win-win scenario.

Yusei Kikuchi

Pretty rarely do you see a main cog in the starting rotation be listed as a prime candidate to put on the trade block, especially after a strong season. But in the case for Yusei Kikuchi, it just might turn out to be the best move for the team to make.

Kikuchi joined the Jays back in 2022 after signing a three-year contract worth $36M. He had a season he most certainly would like to forget in his first year with the ballclub as he struggled to a 6-7 record with a 5.19 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, giving up 58 earned runs including 23 home runs, along with 58 walks and 124 strikeouts in just 100.2 innings pitched. It got so bad to a point that he had to be relegated to the bullpen towards the end of the season with hopes to maximize his effectiveness by facing fewer batters, but to no avail.

Kikuchi bounced back with a huge season in 2023 when he was given the chance to start once again. Taking full advantage of the opportunity, he posted career-best numbers with a stellar 11-6 record, 3.86 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, along with 181 strikeouts in just 167.2 innings of work over 32 starts. However, despite his much improved play, his inconsistency in his command that has plagued him for much of his MLB career arose once again towards the end of the season, taking a little shine off of his turnaround performance.

Entering the 2024 season, there is some doubt that remains on whether Kikuchi can repeat that kind of performance and that it wasn’t just a one-off thing. However, when taking a look at his ZiPS and Steamer projections for his outlook in 2024, it does not bode well for him as his numbers are expected to regress considerably. In addition, both Rodríguez and Alek Manoah are expected to challenge for a starting spot entering spring training. Added to the fact that Kikuchi is in his final year of his contract with the Jays, it would be wise for the team to capitalize on his current value, which may be at its absolute highest at this moment. To do so, they should consider trading him for valuable assets that can help the team contend for this year and beyond.

Nate Pearson

Hard-throwing reliever Nate Pearson has had a long and frustrating journey. For the one that many truly believed was the “next big thing” for the Jays, Pearson has truly disappointed so far as a result of many injuries, setbacks, and inconsistencies in his pitching in the past few years with the ballclub.

To date, Pearson has compiled a 5.00 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, giving up 42 earned runs with 43 walks and 79 strikeouts in 75.2 innings pitched in 52 career games with the Jays. Last year, it appeared that he was finally going to have his breakout season with the ballclub when he put together the best stretch of his career by pitching to a sub-2 ERA and a sub-.200 opponents batting average with 26 strikeouts in 23 innings in his first 17 appearances. However, things would unravel for him quickly from mid-June onwards as his inconsistency reared its head again. Eventually, he was sent back down to the minors later in the season and was not included on their postseason roster.

At the of age 27, Pearson isn’t getting any younger any time soon while patience is beginning to grow thin in Jays’ nation. He had been given numerous opportunities to flourish, but has failed to put a firm grasp on them. Not only that, but with the bulk of the Jays’ relief corps returning for the 2024 season, along with a healthy Chad Green and Zach Pop, the chances of Pearson making the team bullpen just got that much tougher. To provide the right antidote for the flamethrower, perhaps a change of scenery can work wonders in rebooting his once-promising career, similar to how former Jays pitcher Brandon Morrow found some great success as a reliever after leaving the team in 2014.

Otto López

Last season, we had previously mentioned prior to the trade deadline that the Jays had a solid trade chip in former prospect Otto López. He still remains one entering the 2024 season, especially with the upcoming numbers crunch on the Jays’ 40-man roster. 

López had his breakthrough season in the minor leagues back in 2021 when he compiled a .315 batting average, .816 OPS, along with 88 runs scored, 32 doubles, 4 triples, 5 home runs, 64 RBI and 22 stolen bases in 113 games. Not only was he getting it done at the plate, but he was flashing a strong glove in the field as well. However, some ill-timed injuries had set him back a bit in recent years and prevented him from performing at his best. Nevertheless, he still managed to put up some decent numbers when healthy, including a strong showing when he suited up for Canada at the World Baseball Classic. But more importantly, he has displayed his hitting prowess once again lately in the Dominican Winter League as he has hit .310 with an .834 OPS, 17 runs scored, 5 doubles, 2 triples, 2 home runs, 12 RBI and 3 stolen bases in just 24 games.

With the emergence of Alan Roden and the advanced growth and development of Addison Barger and Orelvis Martinez, López has fallen slightly behind in the organizational depth chart. In addition, the Jays have added IKF, further blocking López’s path to the majors. As a result, rather than continuing to waste his talent, he can be dealt to another team that can finally give him the chance to succeed at the major league level, while the Jays can salvage an asset that can help them down the road in contending for the championship.